


Just Doing Their Jobs

by nhasablog



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Tickling, stressed jim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 07:59:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8154959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: “I’m tired of this act,” he mumbled as he entered Bones’ room. His feet always led him there after a particularly tough day.
“Act?” Bones asked, looking up from whatever he’d been doing at his desk.
“This whole ‘acting like I always know what I’m doing’ thing. It’s exhausting.”
“It’s your job.”
“My job is killing me.”
(Or, Jim is stressed and exhausted, but when Bones doesn’t react in the way he thought when he confides this in him Jim feels sort of put off and decides to leave the room. Fortunately Bones senses something’s off and won’t let him.)





	

Jim wasn’t one to let stress get to him, at least not in a visible way. As Captain he had to keep a straight face so not to worry the people relying him and his orders. It was a hard work, but he enjoyed it a lot. Some days, however, took its toll on him so mercilessly that he wasn’t sure if he would survive.

“I’m tired of this act,” he mumbled as he entered Bones’ room. His feet always led him there after a particularly tough day.

“Act?” Bones asked, looking up from whatever he’d been doing at his desk.

“This whole ‘acting like I always know what I’m doing’ thing. It’s exhausting.”

“It’s your job.”

“My job is killing me.”

“You’re not the only one thinking that, trust me.”

Jim narrowed his eyes. “Forget it. I don’t remember why I came in here.”

“You never tend to have a reason,” Bones reminded him, sitting up properly in his chair to get a better look at him.

“Whatever. I’m leaving.”

“Hey, kid, come on.” Bones was on his feet before Jim could even turn away. “Why the hurry?”

“I’ve got important Captain things to attend to.”

Bones snorted. “You obviously came here because you’ve got some free time.”

“I just remembered that I don’t. Goodbye.”

“ _Jim_.” Bones’ hand took a good hold of his arm. “Dammit, Jim, stay put for just a moment.”

Jim sighed and let Bones drag him into the room and push him toward the couch. “If you ever call me stubborn again I will bring up this moment.”

“Well, you _are_ being stubborn right now.”

“I wasn’t talking about myself.”

Bones rolled his eyes. “What’s wrong, kid?”

“Everything’s peachy.”

“You went through like ten different mood swings just now.”

“I _told_ you. I’m exhausted.” Jim crossed his arms. “I came to you thinking I’d get some sympathy. Instead you waved me off like I was a fly.”

“So _that’s_ what this is about?” Bones frowned at him. “I hurt your feelings? Is that it?”

“You make it sound so stupid.”

“But that’s what happened?”

“I wouldn’t say _feelings_. You tested my patience.”

“Oh, please.”

“There you go again, waving me off.”

Something changed in Bones’ face. Jim wasn’t sure if he’d heard something in his voice, but he promptly shut his mouth. He always talked too much when he felt tired and slightly vulnerable.

“It really bothered you, didn’t it?” Bones asked, his tone completely different now. “You actually think I was waving you off to be mean?”

Jim shrugged, feeling immensely uncomfortable. “That’s what it sounded like.”

Bones gave a heavy sigh. “I didn’t mean it like that, but you have a tendency to be overdramatic about the smallest things. Me waving you off usually means calming you down.”

Jim shook his head. “Well, I wasn’t being overdramatic this time. I genuinely think I’m about to either collapse or go insane.”

“Then I’m sorry for making it seem like your problems didn’t matter.”

Jim, while grateful for the apology, didn’t like the serious tone the situation had adopted. “Yeah, yeah, it’s cool. I think I’m gonna go crash somewhere before I die.”

Bones eyed him. “You won’t be able to sleep.”

“Why do you think that?”

“You’re stressed, and you can never sleep while stressed.” Bones pointed at him. “Don’t forget I was your roommate.”

Jim threw up his hands. “So? I can try.”

“You need to be tired out first.” Something gleamed in Bones’ eyes. “And I know exactly how to do that.”

Bones was quicker than Jim’s reflexes, and those were quick all right. Thankful that he was on a couch and not on a chair at least, Jim got a lapful of Bones as he was tackled to a lying position. Bones never fully straddled him whenever they did this, but even just hovering above him left Jim trapped and helpless as soon as Bones’ fingers set to work. This time was no exception.

“No, wait, dohon’t!”

“Sorry, kiddo, but you need this.”

Jim was too busy laughing at the ticklish sensation on his rib cage to be able to reply. Bones knew exactly what spots to go for depending on what sort of reaction he wanted. It drove Jim crazy that he possessed that knowledge. Scratching between each rib kept Jim spasming and almost screaming with laughter, and they hadn’t even been at it for a minute yet. If Jim wasn’t a little preoccupied he would probably have felt embarrassed.

Jim cursed the fact that his hands became useless whenever he was tickled. The worst he could do with those flailing things was accidentally slap Bones in the face - which had happened before. Bones fortunately didn’t pin them.

“Stohop it, come _on_!” Jim pleaded, knowing full well that his face was all red and scrunched up already.

“You’ll only end up running away from me, which will mean I haven’t tired you out properly,” Bones explained casually as if he were talking to one of his patients.

Jim groaned through his laughter as Bones’ evil fingers moved downwards to his stomach and sides. “Gaha, dohohon’t!”

“Oh, sorry, did I hit a sweet spot?” Bones teased. The funny thing about Bones tickling you was that he tried to keep a straight face and act as if this pained him as much as it pained you because ‘it has to be done’, but Jim knew that his friend was just dying to grin. Sometimes he even caught him doing so, but since being tickled kept him sort of busy he wasn’t always able to observe Bones’ face. But he knew all right.

“Wait, who am I kidding,” Bones continued when Jim just laughed and laughed. “Your whole body is a sweet spot.”

“Shut uhuhup!”

“Oh, man, if you can still shout at me then I’m not doing my job.”

Legs kicking, head thrown back, arms ridiculously close to hitting Bones in the face. They both knew how this story went down, and yet it was as fun and exciting each time. Yes, Jim had to admit that he enjoyed this to a certain degree. He never _told_ Bones that, of course. He didn’t want to get teased for the rest of his life, thank you very much.

Bones’ fingers were everywhere now. On his stomach, his thighs, his neck. Jim couldn’t even begin to comprehend just _how_ Bones managed doing that. Last time he’d checked his friend had only had two hands.

Oh, it was getting to him. He felt hypersensitive, about to either explode or melt, and his arms were slowing down their flailing due to exhaustion. He always hoped Bones would be the one to tire first, but he never was.

“Mercy!” he cried, his voice slightly hoarse from laughing his throat raw. “Mehehercy, Bones, please!”

“All right, all right, calm down, kid.” Bones backed off as promised and leaned back on the couch with a satisfied expression. Still no grin. “You feel better now?”

“I don’t even know _what_ I feel.”

“Good. That means you can go ahead and take a nap and feel like your old self again once you wake up.”

“You can be such a doctor sometimes.”

“That _is_ my job.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rubbing his hands over his body to get rid of the ghost of Bones’ fingers, Jim turned to his side with his back against the room. “I’m sleeping here. Wake me if we’re getting attacked.”

Bones didn’t protest. “Sure thing, Captain.”

Jim glanced at him as he was getting up, and he could’ve sworn he’d seen the hint of a smile on Bones’ face. Grinning to himself, Jim settled down properly and closed his eyes. He was out like a light within seconds.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)


End file.
